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48th Congress, ) SENATE. i Ex. Doc. 

2d Session. / « ) No. 80. 

L E T T E R 



THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR, 

TUANSMrrriNG 

Papers additional to those transmitted Becemher 30, 1884, re lative to lea s- 
ing lands on the Grow Indian Reservation, in Montana. 



Fkbkuauy 19, 1885. — Referred to the Committee on Iiuliiui Allairs and ordered to bo 

printed. 



Department of the Interior, 

Washington, February 17, 1885. 

Sir : Keferring to the report made by me ou December 30, 1884, in 
reply to Senate resohitiou of December 17, 1884, regardiug the leasing 
of hind ou the Crow Eeservation, in Montana Territory, printed in 
Senate Ex, Doc. No. 22, Forty-eighth Congress, second session, I now 
have the honor to submit the following papers on that subject which 
have come to hand since that report was made, viz : 

Exhibit 1 : Department letter of December 22, 1884, to Agent Arm- 
strong, calling for report on complaints that he is holding a flock of 
sheep on the Crow Reservation. 

Exhibit 2: Copy of Agent Armstrong's reply, dated December 30, 
1884. 

Exhibit 3 : Copy of Department instructions of December 23, 1884, 
to Henry Ward, United States Indian Inspector, to examine and report 
as to the proposed lease of land by the Crow Indians for grazing pur 
poses. 

Exhibit 4: Copy of Department instructions by telegraph to Inspector 
S. S. Benedict, to join Inspector Ward in making the examination and 
report on Crow lease. 

Exhibit 5: Copy of instructions of same date to Inspector Ward. 

Exhibit 6 : Copy of rei)ort and accompanying papers made by In- 
spectors Wardaud Benedict, dated February 9, 1885, as to the making 
of the lease by the Crow Indians, the character of the laud proposed to 
be leased, and as to the compensation provided therefor in said pro- 
posed lease. 

Exhibit 7 : Copy of letter of February 13, 1885, to this Department 
from Wilson & Blake, trustees, by J. C. Wilson, attorney in fact, otter- 
ing to increase rental for the territory covered by the proposed lease to 
$40,000 for the first year and to $50,000 for eax;h year of the lease there- 
after. 

Very respectfully, 

H. M. TELLER, 

Secretary. 

The President pro tempore of the Senate. 



2 LEASING LANDS ON CROW INDIAN RESERVATION, MONTANA. 

EXHIIJIT No. 1. 

Department of the Interior, December 22, 1884. 
It is reported here that you have a sheep ranch with a herd of 4,000 sheep on the 
Crow Reservation, and that the iarmer, Mr. Caniplieli, has a lierd of cattle on the res- 
ervation. I shall he pleased to hear from yon with reference to this matter. 

Very respectfully, -— ^^^om;/^ Y-M-^nqfj 

H. M. TELLER, 



Secretai'if. 



Henry J. Armstrong, 

United States Indian Agent, Crow Reservation, Montana. 



Exhibit No. 2. 

United States Indian Service, 
Croio Agency, Montana, December 30, 1884. 

Sir: I have the honor to state in reply to your communication dated December 22, 
that I am not now and never have been interested in sheep, either a large or small 
band, on this reservation or oft' it. I have never oAvned, or been interested in any 
way in sheep to the extent of one head in my life. I have no friends or acquaint- 
ances who have sheep on ihis reservation or in the vicinity. Mr. Kagy, who was for- 
merly herder at this ajjency and discharged, drove a large band of sheep — reported to 
have been 4,000 — across the reservation last fall, without my knowledge or consent, 
howtver. As soon as I heard of it I suspected he (Kagy) might attempt to hold the 
sheep on the reservation, and wrote to Dr. H. A. Knssell, our physician, who was act- 
ing agent at the old agency, about the matter. I am informed by Dr. Russell that 
the sheep are not on the reservation at all but south of it. 1 immediately instructed 
Dr. Russell to collect toll from Mr. Kagy, as has been customary, but he has not re- 
ported on the matter. 

In regard to the cattle which Campbell is reported to have on this reservation, 
Campbell purchased a small lot — about twenty — from Joe Hill, a white man, married 
to a Crow Indian woman, and who resides upon the reservatiou, be (Hill) being com- 
pelled to sell because he was in distress on account of a lingering sickness. I ordered 
Campbell to remove the cattle, but he could not do so uutil we had our spring round- 
up, it being then mid-winter, just a year ago. But before we had our spring round- 
up I brought Campbell down here to the new location, so that he was not on the 
ronnd-u]j and could not remove his cattle. I again ordered Campbell to remove his 
cattle when we had a round-np late in tlie snumier, and am iulbrmed that he did so. 
Knot, I am deceived, and his cattle are there without my knowledge or conseut. As 
soon as Campbell rt turns to this agency, which will be in three days, I will require 
him to make affidavit that the cattle have been removed. 
Very respectfully, 



Hon. H. M. Teller, 

Secretary of the Interior, Washington, D. C. 



H. J. ARMSTRONG, 

Agent. 



Exhibit No. 3. 

Department of the Interior, 

December 23, 1884. 
Sir : A paper has been submitted to this Department purporting to be a lease made 
October 29, 18H4, by and between the Crow tribe of Indians of the Crow Reserva- 
tion in Montana, of the tirst part, and J. C. Wilson, of Topeka, Kausas, and John T. 
Blake, of Saiida, Colorado, trustees, their heirs, &c., of the second part, for the lease 
by said tribes of Indians to said parties of the second part, of "all that part or portion 
of said Crow Reservation lying west of a line beginning at Pompey's Pillar, on the Yel- 
lowstone River, on the northern boundary of said reservation, running in a southerly 
direction to a point 10 miles west of Fort C. F. Smith; tbeuce south to the southern 
boundary of said reservation on the line separating the same from the Territory of 
Wyoming, excepting such portions of said described Territory, or what is knowu as 
the Yellowstoue Bottom, which have been surveyed by the United States Government 
ior the purpose of setting apart in severalty to the members of said Crow tribe of In- 
dians for agricultural purposes,'' 



LEASING LANDS ON CROW INDIAN RESERVATION, MONTANA. 3 

The leased portiou of the reservation is described as containing about 1,500,000 
acres of grazing land, balance rocky, monntainous, and not adapted to agricultural or 
grazing purposes. 

The lease contains privileges for fencing the leased land, or any portion of it, erect- 
ing necessary ranches, bniUlings, corrals, <fcc., and the use of necessary timber there- 
for and for tirewood. It also ])rovides for the ernployuient, as far as practicable, of 
members of the Crow Indian tribe as stockmen, herders, &c. 

The lease is to run for ten years from June 1, 1885, and tlie consideration is stated 
as f!:50,000 per annum, to be ])a-id semi-annually in advance, except the first payment, 
of which $6,000 shall be; paid within thirty days after the approval of the contract by 
this Department. 

Thisjiroposed lease is made by the Indians under and in pursuaiicoof the jirovisiona 
contained in the third clause of section 1 of the agreement made by the Indians with 
the United States, approved by act of Congress of April 11, 1882, which is in tliese 
words: 

"That if at any time hereafter we, as a tribe, shall consent to permit cattle to be 
driven across our reservation, or grazed thereon, the Secretary of the Interior shall 
fix the amount to be paid by parties so desiring to drive or graze cattle; all moneys 
arising from tliis source to bo jiaid to us under such rnles ancl regulations as the Sec- 
retary of the Interior may prescribe." ('i-i Stat., 42.) 

As this provision of the law requires that "the Secretary of the Interior shall fix 
the amount to be paid by parties so desiring to drive or graze cattle," it is necessary 
that he should be fully and thoroughly advised as to the reasonableness or otherwise 
of the consideration required by the proposed lease to be paid for the privilege of 
grazing on that portion of the reservation therein described, considering all the stipu- 
lations and conditions attached thereto, as above set forth. 

For the ])nrpose of securing this necessary information yon will proceed at onco to 
the Crow Indian Keservation in Montana, make a careful examination of that portion 
of the reservation within the boundaries described in the proposed lease, ascertain as 
near as practicable how many acres are and how many are not adapted to grazing 
purposes, and whether the consideration named in the proposed lease is a fair and 
reasonable conipensation for the privileges named therein. 

Yon will report the result of yonr investigation to this Department as earlj' as 
practicable. 

When this is done yon will resume your duties under Departmeufc instructions of 
September 25, 1884. 

Very respectfully, 

H. M. TELLER, 

Secretary, 

Henry Wakd, Esq., 

U. S. Indian Inapector, Bismarck; Dak. 



Exhibit No. 4. 

[Telegram.] 

Department of the Interior, January 20, 1885. 
To Benedict, Inspector, Guilford, Kans.: 

Proceed at once to Crow Agency, Montana, and act with Inspector Ward in inves- 
tigating and reporting upon the proposed Crow lease. Acknowledge receipt. 

H. M. TELLER, 

Secretary. 



Exhibit No. 5. 

[Telegram.] 

Department ov tiih Interio k, Janunri/ 26, 1885. 
To Ward, Inspector, Fort Custer, Crow A<]encii, Montana: 

Remain at Crow Agency until Inspector Benedict arrives, who has been instructed 
to join you in the investigation, and report upon the proposed Crow lease. Acknowl- 
edge receipt. 

H. M. TELLER, 

Secretary, 



4 LEASING LANDS ON CROW INDIAN RESERVATION, MONTANA. 

Exhibit No. 6. 

Ckow Agency, Montana, February 9, 1885. 

Sir: We have the honor to submit the followiiin; report concerning our investiga- 
tion of the facts attending tlie leasing of the western portion of the Crow Reservation, 
and the valne thereof, for grazing purposes. 

We learned after reaching Montana that certain parties were making serious charges 
against Agent Armstrong in connection with the lease. They accused him of having 
threatened the Indians with a stoppage of rations if they did not sign the lease, and 
of having resorted generally to intimidation and misrepresentation for the same pur- 
pose. 

On the 28th of January a committee of three, PaulMcCormick, of Junction, Walter 
Mathcson, and J. Breauchaud, of Billings, Mont., appointed by the Billings Board of 
Trade, by permission of the honorable Commissioner of Indian Alfairs, came to this 
agency, and spent the three following days, in taking testimony concerning the man- 
ner in which the Indians had been induced to sign the lease, and also concerning their 
present disposition regarding it, hence we deemed it best to enlarge the scope of our 
investigation contemplated by our orders and to inquire into the manner of the orig- 
inal making of the lease, and the proceeding of the parties who are opposing it. 
The aftidavit of C. H. Barstow, agency clerk, marked Exhibit A, details the proceed- 
ings of Messrs. Blake and Wilson in their negotiations with the Indians, recites the 
inducements presented to the Indians, describes their original disposition towards the 
lease, and states the causes of their change of sentiment since exhibited. 

It does not appear from this afilidavit that Blake and Wilson resorted to any undue 
influence, that Agent Armstrong used any intimidation, or that anything of fraud 
■was perpetrated. 

The Billings committee, to our personal knowledge, declared they had no charges 
to make against Agent Armstrong, or any of his (see Exhibit B) eniployes. We re- 
quested them, if they knew of any fraudulent or unfair proceedings on his part, to 
present the same to UvS, but they declared they did not. 

Thirty-four Indians who had signed the lease were examined by them ; not one tes- 
tified to any intimidation or misrepresentation by the agent. Some, indeed, swore 
that he said they could sign the lease, or not, as they chose. Hence the charge of 
intimidation and misrepre.sentation seems to be effectually disposed of. 

As appears from Mr. Barstow's affidavit (Exhibit A) he explained to the Indians 
that the Hon. Conmiissiouer of Indian Affairs had written that no additional beef 
could be luruished the Crows for the current fiscal year, that the existing supply 
would be exhausted by April 1, 1885, and that if the lease was made, the first payment 
upon it could be used for the purchase of beef to supply the deficiency. 

Of the thirty-four signers of the lease who testified before the Billings committee 
fourteen said they signed becmse they feared their rations wonld be stopped; they 
meant by this not that they feared a withholding of their rations, but that they feared 
a stoppage ot beef rations by the exhaustion of the beef supply, as indicated by Mr. 
Barstow's affidavit. The committee so understood this portion of their testimony as 
Bbown by their own statement (Exhibit B), but the committee tried to make it appear 
that this fear of short rations was the principal motive that compelled the Indians to 
sifin the lease; but of the thirty-four Indians to whom the committee put the question, 
"Why did you sign the lease?" onlj fourteen answered because they feared the stop- 
page of rations. 

Twenty gave other reasons, most of th^m sayingthey signed because the others did. 
Mr. Barstow testifies that he thinks the fear of short rations was one of the least of 
the n.otives tl at induced the Indians to sign the lease. Mr. Stewart and Mr. C. T. 
Babcock in their aftidavits (Exhibit C and D) corroborate this oj)inion. A desire to 
get stock cattle or money to buy them with appears, from the evidence of all the wit- 
nesse.«, to have been the controlling motive of the signers of the lease. 

The causes that have produced a change of feeling among the Indians concerning 
the lease, are detailed in the affidavit of Barstow, Stewart, and Babcock ; it appears 
from the concurrent testimony of these persons, that designing men on the Yellowstone 
River, by cunningly operating on the dislike of certain Indians for their agent, by 
representing to them that they would lose their lands by the lease, and by other mis- 
representations, have succeeded in turning some of the Iiulians against the lease. 

The committee of the Billings Board of Trade, that took testimony at the agency, 
in all their methods, of which we speak from ])ersonal knowledge, sought not to 
learn the truth, Init to make a case against the lease. They had especially inflamed 
"Spotted Horse," a chief of the soldier band, who is of restless disjjositiou, and long 
been hostile to Agent ArmstroTig, andwhowitli "BearWolf" and " Deaf Bull" should 
be inimcdiately arrested and confined; the discipline at this agency demands such 
action. 

The committee seemed to rely on this turbulent Indian to furnish the witnesses 
necessary to make out their case by intimidation or otherw ise, and he acted the r61e 



LEASING LANDS ON CROW INDIAN RESERVATION, MONTANA. 5 

coiuxtleto. Tliev asked Icadinji ((ucHtions, and allowed cross-exaniinations with ex- 
ceeding reluctance; tlicir regular formula with each witness was at lirst: Did you 
sign the lease? Did you sign it hccausc you feared your raticuis would lie stopped if 
you did not? Do you want the ieas(^ stoi)p<'d ? Of course the desired answers were 
always forth(U)niing, but the conunittee were finally induced, by vigorous protest 
against so much leacling, to change the second question to, "Why did you sign it?" 
Then the answers were not so uniform and satisfactory. 

Of thirty-four signt^rs, twenty forgot their coaching, and failed to answer, because 
they feared their rations would be stopped. 

The committee examined altogether one hundred and twenty-three persons. All but 
two said they wanted the lease stopped, but eighty-nim^ of tliese one hundred and 
twenty-three had not signed the lease ; with few excej)! ions these eighty-nim; were very 
young men, who had not before ])articipated in councils; some were boys, and all were 
members of Spotted Hfuse's band; of the twenty-six recognized cluefs of tin; tribe, 
thirteen appeared and testifiefl, twelve saying they wanted the h'ase stopjied. These 
twelve represent much less than one-half of the tribe, and some of them were plainly 
intimidated by "Spottt^l Horse."' Those who faile.d to appear we arc iM)sitive did so 
because they o])pose(l Spotted Horse's scheme to break the lease. The testimony 
taken by the Hillings committee, therefitre, at most, fails to show that a iuajority of the 
Crows now oppose the lease. It indeed shows not so much the extent of the Crows 
opposition to the lease, as it does the strength of S})otte(l Horse's ])ower of intimida- 
tion. The proceedings of the connnittee were in fact a complete far(^e; the testimony 
they took is not entitled to the slightest weight or consi<leration. 

Regarding the extent and character of the country covered l)y the lease, we present 
the affidavits of J. A. Campbell and Alvin Morrison, marked Exhibits E and F. It 
■will be seen that they substantially agree. We have talked with nuiny other persons 
upon the same subject, and their statements coincide substantially with those given 
in the affidavits. 

From the affidavits presented, and from other reliable information and from per- 
sonal observation, we conclude that the country covered by the lease contains about 
2,600,000 acres, of which about l,500,00.i to •2,000,000 are adapted to grazing puri)oses, 
and that said country contains practically no farming land, except a small tract along 
the Yellowstone Kiver, near Pompey's Pillar. The grazing lands of Montana are not 
nearly so closely covered witli grass as the lands in the Indian'Territory, and a much 
larger acreage would be required for an animal here than in the Iii<liau Territory. 
The price paid is, in our judgment, adetjuate for a few years, ttntil the range could be 
stocked and returns begin to be realized from such an investment. No individual syn- 
dicate could stock it in one year, and doubtful if in two, and we are of the opinion 
that for the first live years of the lease the price paid is a fair one, but we arc inclined 
to the belief that for the last tive years a slight increase should Ite paid. 

All of which is respectfullv submitted. 

S. S. BENEDICT, 
HENRY WARD, 
United Statex Indian Inspectors. 

The Secretary of the Interior, 

ll'ushington, D. C. 



[Indosure. — Exhibit A.| 

Crow Agency, 

Territory »f Montana, «» : 

Personally appeared Mr. C. H. Barstow, who, after being duly sworn, deposes and 
says : 

Have been employed as agency clerk at Crow Agency, Montana, for past six years; 
am thoroughly aequainted with all the circumstances attending the lease of the west- 
ern portion of the Crow Reservation by the Crow Indians. On the 2lst day of Sep- 
tember, 1H84, Mr. Blake and Wilson arrived at this agency. I umlerstood they had a 
letter from the Acting Secretary of the Interior to Agent Armstrong, giving them per- 
mission to negotiate with the Crow Indians for grazing privileges. 

Mr. Blake remained at the agency, with the exception of six or seven days, until 
the od day of Noveml)er. Mr. Wilson left the agency on the :5d day of October, re- 
maining at the agency only ai)out twtdve days. During their stay here they visited 
the camps of a few of the leading Indians, but most of their.talk was at the agency. 
They conversed with the Indians through Agency Interpreter Bravo, and Mr. Stewart, 
a resident of the Crow Reservation, who has an Indian wife. The Indians leceived 
them very kindly, and were highly pleased to think they liad an ojiportuuity of get- 
ting money for their unused lands. I never saw any proposition sulnnitted to the 
Crows before that met with such universal favor. Many of the Indians asked me for 



6 LEASING LANDS ON CROW INDIAN RESERVATION, MONTANA. 

advice iu reference to the lease. I told them all that they were free to do as they 
pleased; whether they sigued it or not, their relations with the whites would he the 
sauje as they had always been. I told them that if they leased the land and received 
the money, they could not only supplement the rations the Government furnished, but 
could huy more implements to cultivate their tields with, and would have a fund to 
invest iu stock cattle. I did inform a few of the Indians that this office had received 
a letter from Commissioner Price, saying that no further allowance of beef would he 
furnished during this fiscal year, and that the amount of beef on hand would he ex- 
hausted ahont April 1, but I do not think that that statement influenced but few. 
Their opportunity to ohtain money to invest in stock cattle was tht- principal cause, 
in my judgment, of their signing the lease. Several of the leading and progressive 
Crows giving that reason when tlaey signed. 

I was present during the three days' council when the lease was signed, and re- 
ported the proceedings of said council. There were no improper influences used by 
the lessees to mj- knowledge to obtain the signatures. To the best of my knowledge 
every chief except Bear Wolf signed the lease. 

The first intimation I had that there was any opposition to the lease was about ten 
or twelve days after the council. Spotted Horse, Deaf Bull, and a few others returned 
from the white settlements on the Yellowstone River, and said they wanted the lease 
stopped. Deaf Bull said he would kill the first Indian who took the money. Crazy 
Sister-iu-Law immediately stepped forward and said he would be the first one to 
take it. The opposition to the lease on the part of the Indians is, in my opinion, 
owing entirely to the misrepresentations made by the whites down on the Yellowstone 
River. They have habitually traduced the agent and other of the agency employes 
before the Indians, and encouraged them to disresjiect the jiroper authorities at this 
agency. 

On the 2Sth day of Jannai'y ultimo, a committee representing themselves as ap- 
pointed by the Board of Trade of Billings, Mont., consisting of Paul McCormick, 
of Junction City, Walter Mathewson, and J. Brenchaud, of Billings, appeared at the 
Crow Agency to take testimony in regard to the leasing of Crow lauds by permission 
of Hon. Commissioner of Indian Affairs, in telegram to Agent Armstrong. They re- 
mained here during the 29th, 30th, and 31st days of January. They sent out for the 
leading chiefs of the Crows and gathered them iu council, and interrogated them. 
Their questions were: Did you sign the lease? Why did you sign it? And, do you 
want it stopped? The Indians were completely under the control of Spotted Horse, 
Deaf Bull, and Crazy Sister-in-Law, who harangued the camp and brought the In- 
dians in. These same Indians had returned from the white settlements on the Yel- 
lowstone River only a few days before, and were impudent, insolent, and saucy since 
their return. There is no doubt in my niinrl that they intimidated a large portion of 
the Indians who were examined. Spotted Horse is the captain of the dog soldier 
element, and exercises a demoralizing influence upon the tribe. I am confident that 
many of thofe present and examined would have talked exactly opposite from what 
they did had they not been afraid of Spotted Horse and his dog soldiers. 

About one hundred and thirty Indians were examined by said committee ; a ma- 
jority of those examined were members of Spotted Horse's soldier band, and when 
questioned would turn around to Spotted Horse and ask what they should say. 
Spotted Horse remained during the council to prompt them. The whole thing was a 
farce so far as getting the true sentiment of the Crows was concerned. At this 
council Si)otted Horse swore he did not sign the lease. 

I was present at the council when he did sign the lease. He at first objected to 
signing it, saying his word was good enough for him and his young men. I explained 
to him that tlie Great Father would not be able to know whether he wanted the 
lease or not, unless he Signed it; so he touched the pen as all that signed had done. 

C. H. BARSTOW. 

Sworn and subscribed to before me this Dth dav of February, 1885. 

S. S. BENEDICT, 

U. S. Indian Inspector. 



[Inclostiro. — Exlilbit B.] 

United States Indian Service, 
Crow Agency, Montana Ttrritory, January 31, 1885. 
We certify on honor that iu the testimony taken by us at the Crow Agency, Mon- 
tana Territory, during tin; 29th, 30th, and 31st of January, 1885, several of "the In- 
dians tesrilied substantially, that they signed the Blake-Wilson cattle lease because 
they feared that their rations would be stopped if they did not. We do not under- 
stand those Indians or any of them to have meant that "Agent Armstrong," or any 



LEASING LANDS ON CROW INDIAN RESERVATION, MONTANA. 7 

of his einploy<^s, threatened them with a Btojjpage or diminution of rations if they 
did not sign the lease. Neither do we understantl said Indians or any of them were 
impelled to sign said lease by a tear that the rations furnished by the Government, or 
any part thereof would be withheld. What we do understand them (the Indians) to 
have meant is tliis: that C. H. IJarstow, elerk at Crow Agency, during the council 
which consid(^red tbe said lease, explained to all the Indians present that the beef ra- 
tions furnished by the Government would, at the accustomed rate of issue, be ex- 
hausted by or about April 1, 1885, and that the money to be obtained from the lease 
could be used to buy beef to sultsist llieTu until the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 
1885, and that they (the Indians aforementioned) were im])elled by fear of short ra- 
tions or no rations of beef after April to sign the said lease. 

We would further state that we are satislied that neither Agent Armstrong nor any 
of his employes did any act inconsistent with ohicial duty or personal integrity to. 
induce any Indian to sign tbe Blake-Wilson lease. 

PAUL Mccormick. 

WALTER MATHESON. 

J. IJKENCHAUD. 

A. M. QUIVY. 
Witnesses : 

Henuy Ward. 
H. A. Russell. 

We certify on honor that the above is a true and correct copy of a statement 
signed by Messrs. McCorniick, Malheson, Brenchaud, and Quivy, at Crow Agency^ 
Montana Territory, January 31, 1885. 

S. S. BENEDICT. 
C. H. BAKSTOW. 
Crow Agency, Mont., -February G, 1885. 



[Inclosure — Exhibit C] 

Crow Agkncy, 

Territory of Montana, ss; 

Personally appeared l)efore me this 9th day of February, 1885, Mr. R. T. Stewart, 
■who after being sworn deposes and says: 

I am a resident of the Crow Reservation ; have lived among the Crows nearly twenty 
years, and am generally acquainted with the whole tribe ; wasaboutlhe agency more 
or less, while the Blake and Wilson lease was being signed. With tlui exception of 
Spotted Horse and Bear Wolf all the Crows seem pleased with the idea of leasing 
their lauds. I speak the Crow language, and on a few occasions acted as iuterjireter 
for the leasers. 

The lease was fully explained to them — the amount they were to receive per year — 
and I am satislied there was not an Indian in camp that did not uiuler.stand it as it 
was when they signed it. Heard Mr. Barstow, the agency clerk, tell the Indians that 
they received a letter from Honorable Commissioner of Indian Affairs, saying no more 
beef could be furnished for present fiscal year, and that the amount on hand would 
he exhausted by April 1, 1885; but I do not think that had much, if any, iulluence 
with them in obtaining their signatures, because at the time of signing many of the 
chiefs wanted to be paid their share in stock cattle, and talked about it to all present. 

A few days after the lease was signed a party of Indians went to the river, and 
shortly returned and harrangued the camp that they had sold the laud instead of the 
grass; that the people n\t at the agency had lied to them, aiul they wanted the lease 
stopped. They saiil the white people on the Yellowstone River had tohl them so, and 
had also told them that they, the Indians, ought to kick Ag»uit Armstrong and in- 
terpreter Bravo off the reservation, and that if they killed them there would be 
nothing done. Such talk went through the camp until the Indians were greatly ex- 
cited, fearing they had sold their lands. The result was, they all wanted the lease 
stopped. I know the Crows wcuild be in favor of this lease if thej' knew they were 
not losing their land. Their opposition to it now is owing entirely to the misrepre- 
sentations made by the whites on the Yellowstone River. I am satisfied that it is for 
the best interests of the Crows to lease their unused lands. 

R. G. STEWART, his x mark. 

Witness to siirnature: 
Henry Ward. 

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 9th day of Februarv, 1885. 

S. S. BENEDICT, 

D. S, Indian Inspector^ 



8 LEASING LANDS ON CROW INDIAN RESERVATION, MONTANA. 

[Incloaure. — Exhibit D.J 

Orow Agency, 

Terrilorji oj Afontaiia, .?s ; 

Personally app))eare(l C. T. Babcock, who, after beiiij; duly sworn, deposes and 
says : 

I am engaged in trading with the Crows at New Agency; have been trading with 
thcni five years next September; while I do not speak the Crow language fluently, I 
can understand about all they say when conversing with each other. Was aware 
ihoTo, were parties here last fall negotiating for a lease of the unused lands of the 
Crows. Heard the Indians talking about it every day in my store while the lease 
was being signed. They would sit and talk about it with one another in store; never 
heard any of them say they were oi)posed to the lease at that time. They all seemed 
to desire the h-ase to be nuule, the only diftereuce of opinion among them that I noticed 
was whether they shoultl take their ])ay in money or stock cattle. They all seemed 
satisfied with the lease until a party of Indians visited the settlements on Yellowstone 
River. Little Wolf was one of the visiting i)arty ; he is a bright Indian and speaks 
some English. On his return to the agency from the river he gave me an account of 
the talk they had witli the whites on the river. He told me in presence of some 
agency employes that the whites told them that if the cattln came on their reserva- 
tion they would never get them off; that they would take their land from them ; that 
the people on the river were the only friends the Crows liad; that the erajiloy^s were 
thieves and liars, hi\d were interested in getting their land from them, and that they 
would see that they had a good man for agent. I knew that when they went to the 
river they were sitisfied with the lease, and that when they returned thej- wanted it 
stojjped. I am satisfied that unless uiisrepresentations had been made ))y the i)eople 
on the Yellowstone River to the Indians regarding the lease they had made they would 
all have been in favor of it to-day. 

I am conversant with their entire reservation, aufl am fully satisfied that it is for 
the best interests of the Crows as a tribe to lease their lands described in lease, as 
there is little arable land on said tract, being almost wholly unfit for any other pur- 
pose than grazing. 

C. T. BABCOCK. 

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 9th day of February, 1F85. 

S.' S. BENEDICT, 
United States Indian Inspector. 



[Inclosure. — Exhibit E.J 

FoHT Custer, 

TerrUorij of Montana, ss : 

J. A. Campbell, being duly sworn, deposes and says: 

I am forty years old ; am Government guide and scout, and have been stationed at 
this place since June 1877. I am well acquainted with that part of the Crow Indian 
Reservation of Montana lyingAvest of a line from Fompey's Pillar and the Yellow- 
stone River southwesterly to a point 10 miles west of Fort C. F. Smith, and thence 
to the Wyoming boundary. The general character of the country is rolling and 
gr.-is.sy, with some bad lauds. East of Pryor's Creek there is very little water. None 
for farming purposes, except along the mountains, where there are small streams and 
small bottoms. Pryor's Creek is a good stream, with a considerable extent of bottom 
that could be farmed. Between Pryor's Creek and Clark's Fork, is a high rolling 
divide, with considerable bad lauds, and timber and rocks, fit for nothing but graz- 
ing. There are some very pretty bottoms on Clark's Fork, for 30 miles from its mouth. 
There are also small bottoms on its tributaries from the west that could be irrigated 
and tarmed. From the above mentioned point on Clark's Fork to the Wyoming line, 
the bottom is worthless for farming, and almost for grazing. The hills on either side 
are partly gras.sy and partly bad lands ; a good deal of bad lands. From Clark's Fork 
west to Stillwater River, it is a rolling, grassy country, good for grazing. There is 
some timber and iwcks. There is not much farming land along this stream, as the 
soil is gravelly and very light, but it is a good grazing country. From Stillwater to 
the Big Boulder, the western boundary, it is a rolling, hilly country with some timber. 
Outside of the Yellowstone Bottom there is not much farming land. From the Big 
Boulder east to the Stillwater, I should think the mountains were on an average 30 
miles from the Yellowstone; of the whole section under consideration, I should thiuk 
that from a I'onrth to a tliiid was mountainous and rocky, worthless for grazing. The 
rest of the section, 1 should consider as good grazing land as the average of the graz- 
ing lands of Montana. Outside of the Yellowstone Bottom there is very little farming 



B D 1.4 b 



LEASING LANDS ON CROW INDIAN RESERVATION, MONTANA. 9 

land. I have had some experience in cattle-raising. As I have always figured, 20 
acres of land are reqnired to graze one bead of stock a year, and that is the rule I 
have heard other cattlemen lav down. 

J. A. CAMPBELL. 
Sworn to and subscribed before me this 'ilstday of January, 1885. 

HENRY WARD, 
United States Indian Inspictur. 



(luclosure — Exhibit F.] 

Ckow Agency, 

Territory of Montana, S8 : 

Alain Mokhisox, being duly sworn, deposes as follows: 

Question. Where do yon live? — Answer. On Grass Lodge Creek, in the southwestern 
part of the Crow Indian Reservation. 

Q. How long have yon lived on the reservation? — A. About seven years. 

Q. What is your business ? — A. Farming. 

Q. How old are you? — A. I am thirty-eight years of age. 

Q. Are you familiar with the reservation west of Fort Smith ?— A. Yes, I have been 
over it, I think, a hundied times; have hunted over it. 

Q. Describe that country as well as you can, telling its character, whether mountain- 
ous or level, &c. — A. From Fort Smith west on the north side of the mountains it is a 
rolling country, till you get nearly to Pryor Creek, full of little si)rings and streams. 
From the mountains along Pryor Creek about lU miles, it is good bench land with a 
little bottom land, then the bad lands connuence, and continue down to within 5 
miles of the Yellowstone. These bad lauds consist of a succession of hills and deep 
hollows. The hills are sometimes high and sometimes small. The water is all alkaline. 
There are frequent miry places. It is al wavs more or less miry where there is Alkali. I 
would call the lands generally alkali lands. On the hills there is sometimes some grass, 
and on portions of the hills there is no grass. There are some small benches in these 
lauds that aft'ord good grazing. The hollows are generally of no account. This tract 
of had land, I should say, was about "25 miles long, and from 8 to 10 miles wide. The 
mountains I speak of, which the old hunters call Pryor's Mountain, extend from a little 
north of Fort Smith nearly due west to Pryor's Creek. These mountains are rough and 
rocky with deep canons. Portions of them are of no account at all. The mountain sides 
afford good grazing in summer, but are of no account in winter. There is no smooth 
country south of these mountains on the reservation. West of Pryor's Creek the coun- 
try is rolling, to Baudin's Creek, with frequent benches, that are generally smooth and 
level. Along the streams — Clark's Fork, Rocky Fork, Rosebud Creek, Little Rosebud 
Creek, Stillwater Creek, Red Lodge Creek and Bridge's Creek — there are some farm- 
ing lands. It consists of the bottom lands. On Clark's Fork I should think the bot- 
toms were on an average a mile wide; and along the course of the creek from the 
mountains to the Yellowstone, I should think there might be 2.5 miles in length 
of those bottom lands that could be farmed. On Rocky Fork I think the bot- 
toms average hardly half a mile in width, and there is less than 10 miles in 
length of them. On Red Lodge Creek there are bottoms probably aggregating 10 
miles in length, and less than half a mile wide on the average. On Rosebud and 
Little Rosebud there is not enough farming land to count. On Stillwater there 
is good farming lands, aggregating in length 12 luiles and averaging in width half a 
mile. On these streams the bottom lands are never continuous. They will shut up 
entirely in places and then widen out. On all the streams there is a succession of bot- 
toms instead of continuous bottoms. Sometimes the bottoms are small and sometimes 
of good size. South of Pryor's Mountain, between Sage Creek and Clark's Fork, there 
is another piece of level lauds, similar in character to the above described. It is, I 
think, about 10 miles wide and 7 miles long. There is a range of mountains running 
from Clark's Fork northwesterly to Big Boulder Creek. I think they are mostly off 
the reservation. Up Clark's Fork it is about 50 miles from the Yellowstone to these 
monntaius. At Stillwater Station, on the Yellowstone, I thinkit is not over 25 miles 
to the mountains; and that, I should think, would be about the average distance 
from the Yellowstone to the mountains between Stillwater and Big Boulder, though 
at the latter point the mountains come some nearer to the river. These mountains are 
rough Jind rocky, good for nothing to speak of for grazing. The country aside from 
the mountains I would call generally good grazing country. There is no farming 
coOntry except the bottom lands. 

ALAIN MORRISON. 

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 17th dav of January, 1885. 

HENRY WARD, 
U. S. Indian Inspector. 

S. Ex. 80 2 



10 LEASING LANDS ON CROW INDIAN RESERVATION, MONTANA. 

Exhibit No. 7. 

Washington, D. C, February 13, 1885. 
Sir : In the matter of the proposed lease of a portion of the Crow Reservation, situ- 
ated in Montana Territory, we desire to submit in addition the following : 

When the contract with the Crow Indians was entered into the amount proposed to 
be paid at that time, to wit, $30,000 per annum, was thought by us to be ample re- 
muneration, but since theu circumstances and conditions have arisen whereby we feel 
justified in making an increased ])aymcnt over that sum. 

Our ))roposition now is to pay for the Territory described in the lease now on file in 
yonr Department, for the first year, $40,000, and for each year thereafter the sum of 
$50,000. The payments of said moueys to be made in the same manner as set forth in 
said lease. 

J. C. WILSON, 

Trustee. 
JOHN T. BLAKE, 

Trustee. 
By J. C. WILSON, 

His Attornei) hi Fact. 
Hon. H. M. Teller, 

Secretary of the Interior. 

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